Centrifuge



T. R. KOMLINE March 21, 1950 CENTRIFUGE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed. March5l, 1944 lNvENToR TRJComZz'ne ou-L ATTYS March 231, E950 T. R. KoMLlNECENTRIFUGE Filed March 5l, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR YTRJComZL'nePatented lit/lar 2i, 1950 sind 2,501,179 CENTRIFUGE Thomas R. Komline,Ridgewood, N. J., assigner to Komline-Sanderson Engineering Corporation, Glen Rock, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application March31, 1944, Serial No. 528,879

S Claims. i

This invention relates in general to, and it is an object to provide, animproved centrifuge; the device being generally adaptable in processingindustries for the removal of solid matter from water, or thickening orclassifying operations. In particular the device is designed for use incon nection with the treatment of sewage.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device, for thedewatering and thickening of sludge, garbage, or the like, which issimple, sturdy, safe, and practical in structure and operation; thedevice being constructed so that it will withstand stresses induced whenprocessing ma terial which is not homogeneous and which may produce acondition of unbalance in the device.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which is operative to discharge the thickened solid matterwithout stopping the rotary body of such device, or disturbing its othercontents; this being an obviously important feature.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide acentrifuge which is operative to handle bulky solids without clogging inthe working parts.

Another object of the invention is to incorporate with the centrifuge, anovel receiver and centrifugal discharge unit for the thickenedmaterial.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device which will beexceedingly eective 'for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as 4 will fully appear by a perusal oi thefollowing speciiication and claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference :indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure l is a sectional elevation of the improved Icentrifuge.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section of the rotary body; thesolenoid control circuit being shown diagrammatically.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, my improved centrifuge comprises a heavy-duty, U-shaped framei including upstanding pedestals 2 of substantial height. A horizontallydisposed, influent or feed pipe 3 is nxedly mounted in connection withone of the pedestals 2, while a horizontal,

in connection with the other pedestal 2 the pipes 3 and 4 being axiallyalined and terminating at their inner ends in substantial spacedrelation.

A circular rotary body, indicated generally at 5, is disposed betweenthe pedestals 2 and is rotatably supported by the adjacent end portionsof the pipes 3 and 4, which in effect form trunnions. At opposite endsthe body 5 includes hubs t and 'i respectively, said hubs housingantifriction bearings 8 and packing glands 9 which cooperate with thepipes in supporting and sealing relation.

The hub l` is fitted with a drive pulley Id which may be driven from asource of power in any suitable manner, as for example a belt drive froman electric motor mounted to one side of the frame I.

The rotary body 5 comprises the following:

A frustoconica1 bowl I I extends from connection at its small end withhub 5 in radially outwardly flaring relation to connection with a frontwall I2 which is annular and radiates from the large end of bowl lI. Acircular and radial back wall I3 is secured in connection with the innerend of hub 'l and extends outwardly to a termination at its periphery ofthe same diameter as that of the front wall I2.

A short distance radially inwardly of the peripheries of walls I2 and I3the body includes an annular and concentric cross wall ifi having aplurality of equally and circumferentially spaced ports I5 therethrough.

V-shaped separators I 6 are secured transversely between the walls l2and I3 and project radially inwardly from the wall I4 between adjacentports l5; said separatorsforming outwardly converging hoppers Il betweenwalls i2 and It; each hopper communicating with one of the ports l5. Theradial extent oi the separators i6 is such that the inner ends of thehoppers are disposed in substantially the peripheral plane of the innerend of frusto-conica'l bowl II.

Each of the ports I5 is normally closed by a slide valve I8 mountedexteriorly of the wall Iii for circumferential movement to open or closesaid ports. The siide valves I8 may be held in place by any suitablemeans. Circumierentially alined angularly spaced solenoids lil aremounted eXteriorly on wall I4 between adjacent slide valves I8, withopposed connecting rods 26 on said solenoids secured to correspondingones of said slide valves. Alternate solenoids actuate in oppositedirections, and circuits are employed so that the set of solenoidsworking in one direction or the set of solenoids working in the otherdirection may be selectively energized. It will thus be seen that whenone set of solenoids is actuated,

the slide valves IB will all simultaneously open, whereas when the otherset of solenoids is actuated all of the slide valves will simultaneouslyclose. Also, by virtue of the fact that the solenoids, connecting rods,and slide valves i8 are connected in endless unitary relation, positivecontrol of the slide valves, without sticking of certain ones thereof,is accomplished.

The circuit arrangement for the solenoids, as indicated diagrammaticallyin Fig. 2, comprises a pair of circuits indicated generally at ZI and22. The circuit 2| runs from a slip ring and brush units 23 on hub G toone of the terminals of every other one of the solenoids I9, the otherterminals of which are connected to the rotary body 5, which, in turn,is grounded as at 29. The other circuit 22 runs from another slip ringand brush unit 23a, on the hub 6 to one of the terminals of the othersolenoids, the other terminals of which are similarly connected to theground. 25

is a feed line which, by moving a manually controlled switch 2E, can beconnected to the slip ring and brush unit 23 or to the slip rin-g andbrush unit 23a. Selective closing of the switches 26 will result inoperation of the sets of solenoids in the manner hereinbefore described.

The eflluent pipe 44 projects some distance into the rotary body 5, anda concentrically disposed conical baflle 2l of lesser diameter than thebowl I i is mounted within the latter in clearance and facing relationto the influent pipe 3. As the conical baille 2l is of lesser diameterthan the bowl ample clearance is provided between the baille and bowl.The baille is supported by a spider 2S and the eilluent pipe 4terminates at its inner end in substantially the plane of the ad jacentend of said baille.

The walls I2 and I3 extend some distance radially out from the annularwall I as flanges 29, and at their peripheries said flanges project intoan annular trough 30 with a running iit. Vanes 3i radiate incircumferentially spaced relation from wall Ill between walls I2 and I3,and such vanes extend to the periphery of the latter.

The annular trough is formed at the bottom 3 In operation, the rotarybody 5 is driven at relatively high speed, and the sludge or othermaterial tc be treated is fed through influent pipe into the bowl. I i.force the material outwardly into engagement with the bowl along whichit travels toward the hoppers I. The centrifugal action causes thesolids in the material to deposit in hoppers Il, while the liquid fromwhich such solids have been separated builds up to the rear of baffle2'! and ows out of the body 5 through the eilluent pipe 4.

When the hoppers II are loaded with solids, the slide valves are openedthrough the medium of the solenoids and without stopping the rotarybody, whereupon the collected solids are fed through ports I5 and intothe annular channel C defined by the flanges 29 and trough 3U. rlhevanes SI carry the solids about said channel C and discharge themthrough pipe 32. When the hoppers have been substantially emptied theslide valves are closed.

If the thickened material being collected in hoppers I 'I remains soviscous that an undue The baille 2l' tends to amount of short-circuitingof the original influent or excessive splashing should occur during theunloading of said hoppers, the influent may be thickened or tempered bythe addition of some powder, such as sawdust, dried sludge, coal, or thelike thereto. This additive may also be useful to raise the B. t. u.content of the thickened material for a heat balance if incineration isthe final goal.

With the above described centrifuge it is pos sible to thicken andclassify materials having bulky solids therein, as the device does nottend to clog. Due to the centrifugal discharging force which is exertedon the solids in the hoppers at all times, the solids are forcefullydischarged through the ports I5 when the valves are opened.

In addition, my improved centrifuge is effective with material where thespecific gravity of the liquid and solid portions is Very nearly thesame, and this is true for the reason that there is no undue disturbanceof the contents of the rotary body resulting from removal of the co1-lected solids in the hopper.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I haveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A centrifuge comprising a frame including a pair of rigid, upstandinglegs, influent and effluent pipes mounted on corresponding ones of saidlegs in Xed relation, said pipes being axially alined and spaced apartat adjacent ends, a rotary centrifuge body concentric to and extendingbetween said pipes, and means rotatably supporting the body solely fromsaid pipes; said means comprising hubs on opposite ends of said bodysurrounding corresponding pipes, antifriction bearings between each huband the surrounded pipe, and packing glands between said hubs and pipesaxially inwardly of the bearings.

2. A centrifuge comprising a circular rotatably mounted centrifuge bodyadapted to be power driven, and influent and eilluent pipes incommunication with the body at opposite ends; said body including aplurality of circumferentially spaced ports therein, a slide valvenormally closing each port, said valves being slidable circumferentiallyof the body to open or close said ports, solenoids mounted lengthwise onthe exterior of the body between the slide valves, connecting rodsextending from opposite ends of the solenoids to connection withadjacent valves whereby the valves and solenoids are linked incontinuous unitary relation, alternate ones of said solenoids beingoppositely acting, and circuit means to selectively actuate saidalternate solenoids or the remaining solenoids.

3. A centrifuge comprising a circular rotatably mounted centrifuge bodyadapted to be power driven, and influent and efuent pipes incommunication with the body at opposite ends; said body including aplurality of circumferentially spaced ports therein, a slide valvenormally closing each port, said valves being slidable circumferentiallyof the body to open or close said ports, solenoids mounted lengthwise onthe exterior of the body beyond opposite ends oi said valves, thesolenoids corresponding to each valve being cppositely acting andconnecting to such valve in actuating relation, and circuit toselectively energize the solenoids which are operative to move thevalves in one direction or the other.

4. A centrifuge comprising a circular rotatably mounted centrifuge bodyadapted to be power driven, and inuent and effluent pipes incommunication with the body at opposite ends; said body comprisingradial front and back walls disposed in adjacent spaced, parallelrelation, the front wall having a relatively large diameter circularopening therein in communication with a frusto-conical bowl included insaid body, a circumferential cross wall closing the body between thefront and back walls radially out from the inner end of the bowl, saidcross wall having a plurality of circumierentially spaced portstherethrough, transverse separators in the body between the front andback walls outwardly of the bowl, said separators forming separate,circumferentially spacedmaterial receiving pockets in the body beyondand radially out from the inner end of said bowl, the pocketscommunicating at their outer ends with said ports, movable valvesnormally closing the ports, and means to open and close said valves.

5. A centrifuge comprising a circular rotatably mounted centrifuge bodyadapted to be power driven, and influent and eiuent pipes incommunication with the body at opposite ends; said body including afrusto conical bowl enlarging in the direction of the eiiiuent pipe,means forming a plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets in thebody beyond and radially out from the large end of the bowl, saidpockets being in communication at their radially outer ends with portsin the body, normally closed valves on the body cooperating with saidports, and a spider mounted conical baie of lesser diameter than thebowl disposed in the body and projecting into said bowl; the eiiluentpipe projecting some distance into the body across the radial plane ofsaid pockets, and the peripheral edge of the conical bafe being disposedin substantially the same radial plane as the inner end of said eiuentpipe.

6. A centrifuge comprising a circular rotatably mounted centrifuge bodyadapted to b'e power driven, said body including a circumfereni wallhaving a plurality of discharge ports therethrough, valves normallyclosing said ports, means to open and close said valves, and an annularreceiver and centrifugal discharge unit formed in part with andsurrounding the body,v

whereby to receive thickened material from said ports and to dischargethe same from a common outlet included in said unit; said annularreceiver and centrifugal discharge unit including radially outwardlyextending annular flanges on the body on opposite sides of said ports,an annular trough into which said ilanges project, impeller vanesmounted between the flanges, and 'a discharge conduit in communicationwith and leading from said trough.

7. A centrifuge'as in claim 6 in which the varies are disposed betweenthe ports, extend the full width between the flanges, and are ofsubstantially the same height as the latter.

3. A centrifuge comprising a circular rotatably mounted centrifuge bodyadapted to be power driven, said body including a circumferential wallhaving a plurality of discharge ports therethrough, valves normallyclosing said ports, means to open and close said valves, and an annularreceiver and centrifugal discharge unit formed in part with andsurrounding the body, whereby to receive thickened material from saidports and to discharge the same from a common outlet included in saidunit; said annular receiver and centrifugal discharge unit includingradially outwardly extending annular flanges on the body on oppositesides of said ports, an annular trough into which said flanges project,and a discharge conduit in communication with and leading from saidtrough.

THOMAS R. KOMLINE.

REFERENCES CITED y The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,132,814 Weston et al. Mar. 23,1915 1,339,211 lVIcKerahan May 4, 1920 1,390,398 Fraser Sept. 13, 19211,717,753 Bouillon June 13, 1926 1,917,792 Bowen July 11, 1933 2,276,824Carruthers Mar. 17, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 47,361Netherlands Dec. 15, 1939

